There Used To Be Five
by Fiction101
Summary: A series of flashfics in which Lacey, Jo and Danny muse over their five reasons to say no, smile and love.
1. Five Reasons To Say No

**Disclaimer:**** I, Fiction 101, do not own the TV series Twisted or the characters within it (if I did then things would definitely be different). **

**A/N:** Okay, so this is my first attempt at writing a story for Twisted (please be honest but kind if you decide to review).

I wanted to look at Lacey's apprehension towards Danny and this is what I came up with.

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**There Used To Be Five... Reasons To Say No **

Summary: A flashfic in which Lacey muses over the five reasons she should say no.

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Why not? Isn't it obvious?

**One:**

We're mismatched. The odds were against us from the very beginning; we were born under opposing signs. I'd been to too many of his birthday parties to forget that he was born on October 20th. He's a Libra and I'm a Taurus, that alone speaks volumes as to why we'd never make it. We'd be a disaster. I'm too practical and logical to fall for his charm while he's too charismatic and magnetic to be anything but. We're too star-crossed to be star-crossed lovers. _If you believe in that sort of thing..._

**Two:**

He killed his Aunt..._ but he has his reasons. _He killed Regina_... allegedly. _The 'ifs' and the 'but's shouldn't matter._ Why do they matter?_

**Three:**

He's one of my best friends. He _was_ one of my best friends. Was. Past tense. As in there are five years that stand between our eight year friendship. Five years tainting eight years of innocence and fun. Five years separating us from eight years of secrets and play dates. Five years of not knowing a person who, for eight years I thought I knew better than anyone else. Five years of being apart... Five years of changes that I'd have to become reacquainted with... _Does he still only eat the red gummy bears?_

**Four:**

I have a boyfriend. Archie's attractive, popular and outgoing. Everyone adores him and he's the captain of the soccer team. He's great. He's perfect. He's what every girl should want. He's what I _should_ want. _So, why don't I want him? _

**Five:**

No one would understand. Certainly, not my friends. They wouldn't understand it because it doesn't make any sense. Lacey Porter and The Socio. Lacey Porter and The Freak. Lacey Porter and Danny Desai. Mindboggling. Preposterous. Inconceivable. _Would it really be that hard to believe?_

So, much like Romeo and Juliet, we too would end in tragedy. Lives ruined, bloodshed, hearts broken; our story just wouldn't be worth it. _Right?_

* * *

"I broke up with him. No one can know, okay?"

There was a time when there used to be five…

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**A/N:** Thanks for reading. The quote at the end is from Twisted Episode 7.


	2. Five Reasons To Smile

**Disclaimer:**** I, Fiction 101, do not own the TV series Twisted or the characters within it (if I did then things would definitely be different). **

**A/N:** As a result of the positive feedback that I've been receiving (thank you so much for that by the way) I've decided to continue this and turn it into a flashfic series. I hope this is met with the same positive response that the first one was.

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**There Used To Be Five... Reasons To Smile**

Summary: A flashfic in which Jo Masterson's five reasons to smile are revealed.

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People used to tell me that I had a beautiful smile. Such a pretty smile; one that made my eyes sparkle and was somewhat infectious…

**One:**

There is nothing greater than the acknowledgement of a job well done. The gold star sticker placed at the top right-hand corner of your book report. Finishing a test early without double checking and just _knowing_ you got an A. Seeing your report card on the refrigerator every time you want a glass of milk. It's all very thrilling... the first couple of times it happens but then, you reach a point where the A's start piling up and the stickers peel off oh-so-easily and you've completely lost interest in milk—_water tastes better anyway_. The point when you realize that the novelty has worn off. _I got an A, another A... can we please move on?_

**Two:**

My birthday was my favorite day of the year. Narcissistic, maybe, but it's the truth. I looked forward to Danny's presents the most; he'd always know just what to get me. I can actually remember every single gift he's ever given me. One year, it was this doll, Ms. Patsy; she was blonde and dressed from head to toe in pink. I loved her immensely. Then there was another year when I was going through my "I love Broadway" phase, Danny got me tickets to see _Wicked._ For my eleventh birthday it was this amazing collection of the most beautiful butterflies. He missed my twelfth birthday... then my thirteenth... then... _Danny just missed a lot._

**Three:**

The group never truly felt complete until the addition of Lacey. We were two girls that bonded instantly. We'd take turns hosting sleepovers; the sleepovers where no one ever slept. She and I would talk all night and Danny would always pout about not being invited. He went as far as trying to crash one once. It almost seems like a lifetime ago. _Things change. People change._

**Four:**

The fort: a place where three friends shared everything. Secrets. Snacks. A special bond. Those four makeshift walls make up as much of my past as either Danny or Lacey. Built on the grounds of our friendship. Held together by our love. We were so young, so innocent and so free. We lived for that place and some days, I swear, I felt like we'd all die for it too. To preserve what was once shared there. _Do they ever revisit our youth? _

**Five:**

I used to love double-dutch. It was probably my favorite thing to do during recess. Jumping rope until my heart was racing so fast that I thought it was about to give out... _her heart stopped because of a jump rope._

It's not that I don't want to smile… it's just that I've forgotten how.

* * *

"The last five years have been really hard and I just feel like I'm finally getting my life back, you know. I don't want to lose that Lacey. I- I can't lose that."

There was a time when there used to be five…

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**A/N:** Thank you for reading. The quote at the end is taken from Twisted Episode 4.


	3. Five Reasons For No Regrets

**Disclaimer:**** I, Fiction 101, do not own the TV series Twisted or the characters within it.**

**A/N:** Thank you so much for all of the positive feedback. This fandom is wonderful!

Okay, now, its Danny's turn. All quotes, unless stated otherwise, are from the genius mind of Charles Darwin.

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**There Used To Be Five... Reasons For No Regrets**

Summary: A flashfic in which Danny reflects on why he has no regrets.

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Do I regret it? "There is nothing to regret—either for those who go or for those who are left behind." - Eleanor Roosevelt. Question asked and answered.

**One:**

Aunt Tara was unhappy. She was probably the saddest person that I've ever met. I can't recall her smiling once—not even for pictures. She was essentially an empty vessel. The only expression Tara was capable of was this look where she'd just stare at you blankly, as if she were seeing right through you. Through all the acting and guises. Through your flesh and your bone; right down to the core of your soul. It was the month before my tenth birthday when I finally learned how to stare back. "_It is difficult to believe in the dreadful but quiet war lurking just beneath the serene facade of nature"_.

**Two:**

My father used to say, "Tara has to be stopped". She was out to get us. She had made that much clear. The conversation between her and dad that I had eavesdropped on all those years ago... There really was no other choice; it was either her or us. "_A grain in the balance will determine which individual shall live and which shall die—which variety or species shall increase in number, and which shall decrease, or finally become extinct"._

**Three:**

It's hard to remember a time when it wasn't the three of us. Double D and his two sidekicks. Larry, Curly and Moe. The three musketeers. Together, we were whole. Jo and Lacey are the two most important people in my life, I truly believed that back then and even now, I still believe that to be one of the greatest truths on this planet. I would do anything to protect them. I did everything to protect them. "_The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man"._

**Four:**

When I was eleven things between my mother and I were tense. Honestly, it was never really that great between the two of us to begin with. I wasn't what she wanted and she wasn't what I needed. At that point in my life, we seemed more like two ships passing in the night than a mother and her son. What I did... was good for her, for the two of us. It provided us with the much needed space we both desired. Juvie offered my mother and me a way to escape. "_Intelligence is based on how efficient a species became at doing the things they need to survive"_.

**Five:**

_"We stopped looking for monsters under our bed when we realize they're inside of us". _I'm not saying that I took pleasure in the act or that I'm happy she's gone ... I think William Shakespeare said it best: "What's done is done." The past is in the past.

I've had a lot of time to think about what I did and why I did it but, "at the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations, no regrets."- Steve Maraboli.

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"I'll never be able to get over this, will I? What I did, this decision, it's gonna follow me forever. I'm never gonna have a normal life. I'm never gonna do normal things. I'm never really gonna be happy."

There was a time when there used to be five…

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**A/N:** The use of Charles Darwin quotes was to draw a parallel between their study of species. Danny studies those around him and is quick to adapt. I'm not saying he's a sociopath but if he is, an appreciation for Darwin would make sense.

I also feel like the use of other people's words was true to Danny's character because he evades answering questions. So here, he's answering without really answering.

Expect another one featuring Danny next.

Thanks for reading!

The show quote is from episode 7.


	4. Five Reasons To Cross That Line (Part 1)

**Disclaimer:**** I, Fiction 101, do not own the TV series Twisted or the characters within it.**

**A/N:** Okay, so this chapter is a little different, unlike the others, it takes place mid-conversation. This is the scene where Jo and Danny meet in McNally Park.

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**There Used To Be Five... Reasons To Cross That Line **

**(Part One)**

Summary: A flashfic in which Danny considers risking it for Jo.

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"But, you can risk it for Lacey?"

It would be so easy with Jo. So simple. So natural. Just like breathing.

**One:**

The years have been kind to Jo Masterson. The cute, blonde "girl next door" has long since cast away the pink dresses and skirts from her youth, only to replace them with combat boots and camouflage. Jo looks like a soldier ready to fight in a battle, my battle, and for some reason I like her better this way. The perfect combination of beauty and badass. Jo's allure is her strength. _She's gorgeous, she always has been_.

**Two:**

We were born to be best friends. It was the way our parents had planned it: Get married- _check_. Conceive- _check_. Pop out instant friends - _done and done_. We were literally made for one another. Like a hand to a glove or chocolate to peanut butter; a perfect pair. Jo's my best friend and I wouldn't have it any other way... but sometimes the best relationships are founded on the best friendships. Harry and Sally, Simba and Nala, Joey and Pacey. Books, television and movies all showcase this fact time and time again. The best friend who was there all along. The best friend you never saw as a romantic option turning out to be your soul mate. _The transition from friend to lover really isn't that hard. _

**Three:**

Jo's been there for me since day one. She stood by my side when no one else would. Against her parents' wishes. Against her better judgment. Against the odds. It was us against the world. My brave little soldier. My advocate. My cheerleader. She hasn't changed; this need to believe in me, it's always been there, ever since we were kids, "Danny, you can do it. Danny, don't give up. Keep trying Danny, you'll get it eventually." _It's always been her._

**Four:**

Growing up, our parents teased us relentlessly. Mrs. Masterson always said Jo and I were like an old married couple by the time we were three. My father used to joke about us setting a date so he could book the banquet hall already. Chief Masterson used to complain about losing his little girl while she was still in every way, shape and form just that, a little girl. Our families all saw a future with the same outcome; Jo and I together. _Could the future that I pictured be that far off?_

**Five:**

Jo is one of the most important people in my life. I've never doubted this fact. She's incredible which is why I care about her more than words can express. _I love her, I swear, I really do_.

It would be easy to cross that line. To let myself fall into unfamiliar territory with someone I'm so familiar with. It would be easy. _It should be easy_. The thing is, no one writes about love that comes easily. The love without struggle and hardships. Without bloodshed or tears. Without heartache. Without passion. No one writes about the love that comes easily because all authors want their names attached to something epic.

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"That's different."

There was a time when there used to be five.

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**A/N:** So that's my take on what's going through Danny's head during the few seconds he pauses before answering Jo; Janny could be good but Dacey's epic.

If you noticed that there are some similarities between this flashfic and Lacey's it was done on purpose. I wanted their reasoning to come from a similar place.

Admittedly, this chapter is probably the one that I'm most eager to receive feedback on. Also, I'd love it if you'd leave a prompt stating what the next (and possibly the last) chapter should feature (five reasons to…?).

Thank you for reading, I hoped you enjoyed it!

Twisted quotes taken from episode 11.


	5. Five Reasons To Cross That Line (Part 2)

**Disclaimer: I, Fiction 101, do not own the TV series Twisted or the characters within it.**

**A/N: **Last chapter received some mixed reviews, but I have to say I appreciate the fact that so many of you are invested enough to leave me such in-depth critiques. Thank you!

So, this is part two, it has exactly the same set up as part one the only difference is that this time Danny is thinking about why he'd risk ruining his friendship with Lacey by crossing that line.

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**There Used To Be Five... Reasons To Cross That Line **

**(Part Two)**

Summary: A flashfic in which Danny reflects on why Lacey is worth the risk.

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"But, you can risk it for Lacey?"

I'm not a betting man but I've always lived my life on the grounds of the simple premise of risk and reward. The greater the risk the greater the reward. It seems like a fair tradeoff...

**One:**

For the nervous girl who gave me my first kiss and the blushing boy who gave that same girl hers. For two kids who had a lot of fun together. For the secrets that they shared and the plans that they made. For the time that they have lost and will never be able to get back. For the innocent love that they hoped would grow into something more. _There's a lot of history between us._

**Two:**

For brown eyes that are all too familiar. That are tinged with amber, hazel and gold when the sun hits them at just the right angle. That are capable of seeing through all my charm and charisma. That light up when she laughs. That stare at the world in awe when she learns something new. That hold all the beauty and wonder known to man. That possess more depth and knowledge than a sixteen-year-old should. That reflect an old soul and a kindred spirit. For brown eyes that say more with a single glance than a thousand words could ever achieve. _The eyes are the windows to the soul... I wonder what she sees when she looks into mine._

**Three:**

For the chemistry, combustion and heat that before her, I'd never known the likes of. The passion that we're capable of. For the chance at being a part of something most would never understand. Something that should be found on the pages of a novel, on the screens of televisions, grossing millions in the box office. Something that's better than good enough; something that's epic. For the opportunity to be the Romeo to Lacey's Juliet. _Some stories just need to be told._

**Four:**

For all of the effort that we'll have to put into this thing if we want it to work. If we want it to last. If we want it. It won't be easy; I know that, there are too many factors at play. Too many factors to consider. The friends she wants. People's opinions of me. Her parents. The regrets we have. Even still, I think we'll come out stronger for it. Because it wasn't easy. Because it wasn't handed to us. Because we had to work for it. _Because it's real._

**Five:**

For a friendship that has been all but impossible to rekindle. I meant what I said to Archie that day, Lacey will never be my friend again, not in this lifetime, anyway. I won't delude myself into thinking that we can simply just be friends. _I can't just be her friend_. I tried that already and I failed.

It's worth the risk, so I'm going for broke. _Are you?_

* * *

"That's different."

There was a time when there used to _only_ be five.

**Six:**

For all the Twisted fans (Janny supporters and Dacey supporters alike) who are tuning in to watch the next leg of the season come January.

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**A/N:** Well, there you have it folks, "Why Lacey". I wanted the tone in part two to be different than part one; less rational and more jumbled and emotional—basically I wanted them to read like polar opposites. Hopefully, I was successful in achieving that.

Oh, and for those of you who are unfamiliar with gambling terminology, "going for broke" means to wager everything in the hopes of gaining a substantial reward.

The next one will be based off of a reviewer's suggestion.

The Twisted quotes were taken from episode 11.

Thanks for reading!


	6. Five Reasons To Come To Her Rescue

**Disclaimer: I, Fiction 101, do not own the TV series Twisted or the characters within it. I also claim no ownership rights to any nursery rhymes.**

**A/N: **Thank you for all of the wonderful feedback! You guys put such a big smile on my face, I swear, when I read your reviews I resemble the Cheshire Cat.

Once again, this is a little different than previous updates, but I think it really works here. This is my take on Urban Witch's request: Danny's reasons for proposing the diner scheme.

I hope I did your idea justice.

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**There Used To Be Five... Reasons To Come To Her Rescue **

Summary: A flashfic in which Danny reflects on why he's willing to do anything to help Lacey.

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_Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,_

_Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;_

_All the king's horses and all the king's men_

_Couldn't put Humpty together again._

Lacey Porter is broken; you'd have to be blind not to see it. She's covered in cracks, chips and scratches. She's deflated. How is it that no one else notices?

**One:**

A promise made on a rainy afternoon when there were two friends instead of three. While sitting on a window seat two eight-year-olds made a vow; bound by a pinky swear and sealed with a kiss. _I haven't broken my word, have you? For better or for worse, right?_

**Two:**

A pair of dimples, one on each cheek make their presence known every time she smiles. I'd do anything to see her smile again, the way she used to when we were younger. Carefree, beautiful and enchanting. Two dimples mean she's happy. Two dimples mean she's gotten everything that she deserves. Two dimples mean I'm doing the right thing. _Those two dimples will be my undoing._

**Three:**

Three friendships with the same origin take different paths. One friendship ended while one is quick to pick up where it last left off and the third transformed into something new. The memories of tender moments, soft caresses and even softer lips are all that remain in the third friendships wake. _Is there room for a do-over?_ _Can we go back to the start?_

**Four:**

Whenever I think of Lacey, four-letter words come to mind. C-A-R-E: when you care for someone you do what you think is best for them. L-O-V-E: when you love someone you put their needs above your own. R-E-L-Y: when someone is relying on you, you do everything in your power not to let them down. H-E-L-P: because I know that on the inside she's screaming for it. _I can help you, please Lace, let me help you._

**Five:**

Five years apart. Five years of nightmares. Five years of grief. Five years worth of wrongs to right. I owe Lacey so much. _Honestly, this is the least I can do._

She's broken, but I can fix her. I will put Lacey back together again.

* * *

"Look, I'm the reason why everyone hates you, right? So, please let me just try to fix this. I uh, I have an idea."

There was a time when there used to be five and there always will be.

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I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I didn't originally plan to have the numbers correspond with each other but by the third reason I really liked where it was going so I decided to go big or go home.

If you have any ideas/ suggestion for future chapters please, feel free to send them.

The episode quote is taken from episode 11.

Thanks for reading!


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